Burning Point – The Ignitor (CD)

Finnish metallers Burning Point have released The Ignitor– their follow up record to 2009’s Empyreand their first on new label Scarlet Records.

Formed in 1999 and having toured with Sebastian Bach in the past, the four piece have given us an album full of big choruses and catchy melodies. Don’t be fooled by an initial run-through – it may just seem like another power metal album, but give it a few listens and you’ll find there’s a lot more that meets the eye.

Opening song ‘Eternal Flame’ begins with a very ‘medieval’ feel: an acoustic guitar and string section that moves into drums and riffs with Pete Ahonen bringing a superb air-raid style scream over the top of the music. The album continues in the same sort of vein – massive hooks and technically brilliant solos by Ahonen and fellow guitarist Pekka Kolivuori, with Jussi Ontero’s drumming abilities and Jukka Jokikokko’s basslines providing a strong backbone to the songs. There’s something to be appreciated on every song – from ‘Silent Scream’ to ‘Everdream’, ‘Heaven is Hell’ to Holier Than Thou. But the real highlight is ‘In the Night’, kicking off with a stomping riff that holds the song together well and flowing into a chorus that would make Helloween very proud indeed.

In fact, the Germans are a band instantly thought of when listening to The Ignitor, along with the likes of Running Wild and Gamma Ray.Wearing your influences on your sleeve is a risky business: do it too much and you’ll be written off as a copy; too little and you may not reach the target audience you desire. However, Burning Point have managed to balance this superbly, letting their own styles come through as much as their send ups to the big guns. There’s even an air of Iron Maiden and Slayer about the record as well, all mixed in together and shaken up to provide a potent cocktail that really holds its own.

If there is one criticism to be made, it’s that there seems to be a cutting edge lacking from the record that, if found, would push Burning Point head and shoulders above the rest of the genre, and the music (pardon the pun) does sound a little generic at time. But overall, The Ignitor is a strong effort that will certainly keep the fans happy. If Burning Point manage to find something that gives them a real advantage over their rivals, the next release could be huge.

PlanetMosh's resident Iron Maiden fanboy and Mr. Babymetal. Also appreciates the music of Pink Floyd, Rammstein, Nightwish, Avenged Sevenfold, Slipknot and many others. Writing to continue to enjoy life away from the stresses of full-time employment.